G'day,

I just got a glass and a brass slider for my acoustic..... but what can I actually do with it?

Anyone seen the t.v. show Firefly? (the show that lead to the movie Serenity)

Basically most the music in that had that country style to it with the slide. Anyone with links to a vid or tutorial or something to show some basics would be great

thanks

Learn some open tunings (0pen D, Open G, etc.) and have your guitar properly set up.

You'll want the action a little higher, and your instrument will have to be properly intonated. In addition, you don't want to be using light gauge strings.

It's a lot easier to have a second guitar set up solely for slide use.

All of that is good.

Though there's other ways too. Many people play slide with standard tuning and their regular action. Buddy Whittington, to pick an excellent example.

Many different approaches possible.

A good starting out tip would be to learn to mute the unsounded strings with the palm and spare fingers of the right hand. And very important to mute the strings between the slide and the nut too - which is why most people put the slide on their third or fourth finger, muting behind the slide with the first two or three fingers.

Too much of those extraneous slide squeally sounds ain't a good thing!

Good luck - C

My setup is mid action, I didn't want too low as I only wanted the one guitar to help see if I like it to begin with.

I went for the heavier stings because... they were already on it and the guy at the store made it sound great


My spell checker just asked me if I meant "properly detonated".... it has as much clue as I do of what it means... explain if you can please


I'll give the muting some practice cos I was definitely getting some funky sounds... and not the good funk

Thanks

I always play without a pick and mute the note with my fingers on my right hand when I want it to stop,that and laying my finger on the left hand behind the slide to cut down on the extra noise.
On youtube there should be some videos showing basics,I saw Sonny Landreth,a slide wizard,showing some licks and techniques...he's amazing and actually frets notes behind the slide for really interesting sounds....I think he is mainly an electric slide player,I don't know.
A heavier slide will help keep buzzing down,like your brass slide....it's a long road to perfection,and not many shortcuts.